McCann was diagnosed with what the team called a "mild" concussion, and the decision was made to place McCann on the DL after he was examined by a neurologist on Saturday.

"It's not what you want, but it's what we felt was necessary to do to protect him and to make sure that he was going to be OK," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

McCann was struck in the mask by a foul ball off the bat of Mike Aviles during the third inning of Friday's 10-6 win over the Indians. McCann stayed in the game but was removed for a sixth-inning pinch-hitter.

McCann is batting .238 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs in 103 games during his first season with the Yankees.

Girardi said that he plans to use Francisco Cervelli as the starting catcher in McCann's absence, with Romine as the backup. Cervelli has been swinging the bat well of late, stroking 12 hits in his last 32 at-bats (.375).

"I think he can handle it, but if I feel he needs a blow, I'm not afraid to put Romine in there," Girardi said. "He's done a good job behind home plate when he's been up here for us, and I'm not afraid to put them in there."

Romine was batting .252 with five home runs and 30 RBIs at Triple-A.

"In the beginning of the year, I struggled, just being sent back down to Triple-A and having to get my head around some stuff," Romine said. "The numbers kind of showed it, but in the middle of the year, I picked it back up and found my swing again."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. Jamal Collier is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.